Peter j



{No Medel P. J. MILLER.

SNAP HOOK-PORHARNESS.

,8Z0.- PatentedApr. 4, 1893.

In Mentor? cums Farms :04 wn'mum UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

PETER J. MILLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEOPOLD GOLDSMITH, OE SAME PLACE.

SNAP-HOOK FOR HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 494,820, dated April 4, 1893.

Application filed February 23, 1892 Serial No. 4 N 1 To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER J. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,

in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap-Hooks for Harness, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a snap-hook having a tongue that is held normally in position to close the hook without the aid of a spring.

The invention consists in certain features of novelty that are particularly pointed out in the claims hereinafter, and in order that said invention may be fully understood I will proceed to described it with reference to the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this specification and in which- Figures 1 and 3 are, respectively, a plan View and a side elevation of one of the improved snap-hooks. Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof on the line 2-2. Fig. l is a longitudinal section thereof on the line i4.

A represents the hook proper having a shank B of appropiate length at the end of which an eye 0 for reciving the strap D or other part for which the hook is to form the means of attachment.

E is a movable tongue situated at one end of a slide F that is mounted upon the shank B and has at its other end an eye G. through which also the strap D passes. The slide is provided with a longitudinal slot f through which passes a stud or pin H one end of which is riveted to the shank B while the other is provided with an enlarged head h for holding the slide in place. The slide is provided also with flanges I which embrace the sides of the shank B and together with the head h confine the slide to a strictly end- Wisemovement. Whileundereven theslightest tensile strain the loop of the strap D will of course be held against the end-bar cof the eye 0, and since the strap passes also through the eye G of the slide, the latter will be drawn to the limit of its movement in the direction of the arrow. This movement may be limited by the striking of the end of the slot f against the pin H, or by the striking of the flanges I against the eye 0 or a shoulder formed on the shank B, or by both, the pin and the flanges, or by any other suitable form of stop.

The parts are so proportioned that when the slide has reached the limit of its movement in the direction in question the tongue E Wlll be opposite the end of the hook A, closing the opening a, and the end 9 of the eye G will, preferably, be a little past the end 0 of the eye C-far enough to throw the strain of the strap upon the eye 0, but not far enough to move the end g of the eye G entirely out of contact with the strap. It is this contact that holds the tongue E in its closed position. Fig. 4 shows the tongue in open position, but a glance at this figure Will show that the slightest pull upon the strap D will move the tongue to its closed position. This is due to the fact that the tongue and strap are connected.

I believe myself to be the first to construct a snap-hook with a movable tongue and a connection between said tongue and the strap or other device to which it is attached, and I desire to have it understood that my invention covers any connecting medium that will transmit to the tongue 3. portion of the strain put upon the strap. The eye 0 must be of suflicient size to permit the loop of the strap to move with the slide Fin opening and closing the hook. In order to facilitate the opening of the hook the slide is provided with lateral projections J.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a snap-hook, the combination with the hook A, having a shank B, a headed pin H and an eye 0, of the slide F, having tongue E, slot f, through which said pin projects, an eye G, the flanges I, and lateral projections J, substantially as described.

2. In a snap-hook, the combination with the hook A having the shank B, of the slide F having the tongue E, and the flangesIembracing said shank, means for securing the slide and shank together, permitting the former to slide upon the latter, and means for attaching a strap to the slide, substantially as set forth.

PETER J. MILLER.

Witnesses:

JNO. BUENDGEN, J12, N. O. GRIDLEY. 

